DARJEELING : Employees, especially those working in the Darjeeling district collectorate and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), may not get their salaries for August owing to no work, no pay being implemented to rein in supporters of the Gorkhaland agitation. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha renewed its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland after the UPA government decided to carve out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.  And since then the Hills have remained shut.  To rein in the agitators, the state government had issued a “dies non” notice ordering all the employees to attend office or face consequences, including salary cuts.  “Employees have attended office hardly for a day or two this month. That money will be adjusted with their provident fund hence most will not get their pay cheques,” said Puneet Yadav, district magistrate of Darjeeling. There are around 200 permanent and 160 temporary staff working in the Darjeeling district collectorate.  

Even GTA employees’ fate is hanging in balance.  “We have sent showcause notices to all the employees and have asked them to reply within the next seven days. If the employees cannot furnish valid reasons with supporting documents for their absence, their salaries will be deducted. This is not a rule alone for the Hills. This is applicable throughout the state,” said Ram Das Meena, principal secretary of GTA.  The GTA has a permanent workforce of around 3,600 and 6,000 temporary staff.  All eyes are trained on the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC) meeting scheduled for Tuesday.  The meeting will decide the fate of the ongoing bandh. Most feel that it will be difficult for the GJAC to open the educational institutes from September 13 amid the indefinite bandh.  “It is a difficult situation for us. 

While we cannot afford to defy the political diktat and go to work, the government cannot provide us with enough security so that we can go to work. Now, we have to bear the brunt,” said a local on condition of anonymity. After observing “Ghar Bhitra  Janta” (public indoors) and “Ghar bahira Janta” (public outdoors) programmes, the GJM called for “Bazar Ma  Janta” (public in the markets) on Monday to stock up food stuff for the indefinite bandh which is going to resume from Wednesday.  The GJM had announced a two-day bandh relaxation on Monday and Tuesday. Shops and ATMs witnessed serpentine queues from early in the morning.

SILIGURI : After the major political stir observed in Darjeeling hills with large public movement over the state Chief Minsiter's visit there on despite Gorkha janamukti Morcha's (GJM) bandh call, the practical life in hills went back to its usual uncertain and frozen state today. The much waited and largely talked about meeting to elect Gorkhaland Territorial Administration's (GTA) chief Executive could not take place failing to get hill administration back to life. Only two GJM leaders with their capacity of GTA Chairman and thus convener of the meeting along with the Vice Chairman were present. Naturally, the meeting could not be held. "The development has been reported to the Government. Next step will be decided soon," said Mr. R D Meena, GTA Principal Secretary. "GTA is not our agenda now. 

We want release of our arrested members first. And our movement for Gorkhaland will continue," said GJM President Mr. Bimal Gurung. GJM was pressing hard for the release of around 750 arrested members including 10 elected GTA councilorsbefore the meeting. But it was not accepted though the arrested GTA members were called in the meeting. Many GJM leaders, GTA councilors and their supporters kept on shouting slogans outside the meeting hall demanding 'immediate and unconditional' release of their members. GTA has 45 elected members from GJM and 5 nominated members. After resignation of Mr. Gurung from the post of its Chief Executive as a part of his movement step one month back, the administration board became defunct. To restart its activities, the board needs a new Chief. "We want the chief to be elected by the councilor in the meeting. But if they do not respond positively, Government will take strict step," said CM Miss Mamata Banerjee . 

However, general life in Darjeeling or Kurseong was under strong influence of 'Ghar Bahir Janta' (people out of home) call of GJM .Offices, shops, schools, transportation all remained off due to ongoing indefinite bandh. Interestingly, hill sub division Kalimpong had large scale public movement yesterday over the Chief minister's presence there to receive felicitation from Lepcha community and her public meeting. But, ground picture in that Lepcha dominated town was not much different from Darjeeling. Though still enjoying solid public response in its bandh, GJM knows that it may break apart anyday soon under the pressure of already generated mass resentment. 

While talking to media today on the issue, TMC all Indian General Secretary Mr. Mukul Roy said, said, "GJM is already detached from public." Even after one month long bandh and thus great suffering of public, GJM has practically failed to get anything positive. It has also failed to arrange a tri-partite talk with center. At this stage now it has become utmost important for GJM to come out of the knot while saving own supremacy in hills. As learnt, GJM central committee and Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee will meet again soon to chalk out future course of action.

DARJEELING : Process has started to appoint a successor to Bimal Gurung, who had quit as chief executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) after the creation of Telangana state was announced. Invitation letters have been sent to the arrested members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration ahead of the September 4 meeting of the GTA Sabha to elect the new chief executive. GTA principal secretary R D Meena on Sunday said that the letters of invitation had reached the 14 arrested members of the hill body lodged in different jails in Siliguri and Jalpaiguri. The GTA has 45 elected members and five nominated members. 

After Bimal Gurung had resigned from the post of GTA chief executive on July 31, the GJM leadership proposed the name of Virku Biswal, a nominated member, to succeed him, but the state government had rejected the proposal. Bimal Gurung had yesterday said that the GJM would participate in the GTA meeting if its arrested leaders were released from prison. Normal life on Sunday remained paralysed in the hills. A procession was taken out from Chowk Bazar to the railway station in Darjeeling where a large number of Communist Party Revolutionary (Marxist) workers participated. The CPR(M) has a sizeable presence in the tea gardens of the hills while the GJM has its presence in the urban areas. 

Meanwhile, Gobinda Chettri, youth leader of the CPR(M), which is a part of the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee spearheading the statehood agitation, said his party would welcome state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Darjeeling. "As the chief minister of the state, Mamata Banerjee can go to anywhere in the state and we will welcome her," Chettri said. However, she should respect the sentiments of the Gorkhas in the hills, he said pointing out that the statehood demand was 107 years old.

DNA
DARJEELING : The GJM on Saturday announced that it would not attend the GTA meeting on September four, even as the indefinite agitation in Darjeeling to demand release of the over 700 party leaders and supporters entered the fourth day on Saturday. GJM town committee assistant general secretary Raju Pradhan said that the party would not take part in the meeting to decide on a successor to party chief Bimal Gurung, who had resigned as CEO from the hill council, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, on July 31.

Pradhan told a rally at Chowkbazar that the GJM wanted dissolution of the GTA. Normal life continued to remain paralysed with shops and markets, government offices, banks, post offices and schools and colleges closed. There was no report of any fresh arrest. Altogether 724 leaders and supporters of GJM have been arrested since August three. The GJM president had said yesterday that the leadership fully respected the observations of the Calcutta High Court and claimed that no diktat was issued to the people.

He had said that the agitation should not be construed as a bandh, but was an expression of the free will of the people and that there would be no force, intimidation or coercion of any sort. The high court had on August 14 expressed displeasure over the GJM's violation of its order of August 7 which had held the indefinite bandh in Darjeeling as illegal. Gurung had also said that the 'Ghar Bhaira Janta Program' (people on the streets) was being intensified further and would continue till the GJM leaders and supporters were released.

KOLKATA: Mr Durga Kharel, a nominated member in the GTA Sabha belonging to the TMC, will be appointed as the GTA's interim chief executive on Tuesday if Col (retired) Mr Ramesh Allay, the GTA's deputy chief executive, does not take charge by Monday. Col Allay is a GJMM leader, close to party chief Bimal Gurung. Mr Kharel, a lawyer, is one of the five nominated members in the GTA. The state government today faxed a letter to the “next responsible man” in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration to take over by Monday; the post of chief executive is lying vacant ever since Mr Bimal Gurung resigned on 30 July.  Kharel is a senior lawyer of Darjeeling and TMC's legal advisor. He with his brother is popularly known as Badri Durga Kharel and are singers as well as musicians.

Darjeeling : As New Delhi today endorsed Telangana statehood, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung stepped down as GTA chief executive to press for a separate Gorkhaland. The GJM also announced indefinite strike in the hills. Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is an autonomous hill council formed a year ago. Gurung faxed his resignation letter to Governor M K Narayanan. "I have resigned from the GTA. I am severing ties with the state government," he told the mediapersons. 

The resignation letter, accessed by The Indian Express, mentions that he was quitting GTA because of "interference of the West Bengal government" in the autonomous body. "My resignation is on the demand for the formation of Gorkhaland state within the framework of the Indian Constitution and interference of West Bengal Government in the day-to-day functioning of GTA which has made it a total failure..," Contrary to expectations, Gurung said the Gorkhaland issue did not come up in the meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) today. "It was not even discussed, which has made us more upset." 

The Morcha leaders confirmed that the GTA will be officially scrapped soon and all its executives would also quit. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: "We will follow in the footsteps of our president. All members of GTA would resign, it would be defunct." The MLAs would also resign from the Assembly. Tuesday was the second day of the three-day bandh by GJM in support of its demand. A GJM supporter tried to immolate himself in support of the demand for Gorkhaland earlier in the day. Mangal Singh Rajput, who is unemployed, attended a party meeting before he set himself on fire around 1.25 pm at Damber Chowk. He was rescued by police and admitted to hospital with around 40 to 50 per cent burn injuries.

DARJEELING: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the hill council in Darjeeling, today handed over Sister Nivedita's house there to the West Bengal government for being made into a centre of excellence by the Ramakrishna Mission. The house was handed over at a function attended by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a three-day visit to Darjeeling since May 14, and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung. "The Ramakrishna Mission will take care of maintenance of the building," Banerjee said announcing Rs one crore from the state government for its renovation. 

Banerjee said that the historic building would be made a heritage institution and would be used for the purpose of women's empowerment. Officials said that it would also be a centre for study of different languages, computer education and for training aspirants for IAS and IPS. Roy Villa in Darjeeling is the house where Sister Nivedita died on 13 October, 1911.

Darjeeling: In a stark message to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which is agitating for a separate state out of Darjeeling, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said in the presence of Bimal Gurung, GJM chief, that the hills were an indivisible part of West Bengal and that she wanted peace to reign in the region. "Darjeeling is the heart of Mother Bengal," she said at a programme where Gurung was present. "I want Darjeeling to remain in peace, failing which, tourism a major revenue earner for the hills will suffer. Let there be development in Darjeeling which is part of Bengal," she said announcing a slew of development projects including infrastructure development. She said that development of Darjeeling should be the main focus and there should not be politics around it, while urging the people living in Darjeeling to remain alert against those trying to create provocation to disrupt peace. "Conspiracies to strain our relation will not work. I want to build a bridge a between the hills and the plains and for that we will work together," she said asserting that she had a cordial relationship with the people of Darjeeling and the GJM. Banerjee arrived in Darjeeling yesterday on a three-day visit. 

She held a meeting earlier in the day with the GTA officials and attended a government function to announce development schemes for the region. Banerjee's meeting with the GJM leadership was considered crucial especially after the relation between the two had nosedived earlier this year. GJM had accused Banerjee of infringing on the rights of the GTA, a newly formed hill development body, and announced the renewal of its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland to be carved out of parts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of north Bengal. The relation between the state and the GJM had hit an all-time low following the chief minister's assertion that Bengal would not be divided at a public function on January 29. Gurung yesterday attributed the January 29 development to a 'miscommunication'. "There was some communication gap which has been sorted out now. Our meeting (yesterday with the chief minister) was cordial and positive," he said. Mamata noted that power problem was causing a lot of hardship in Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling and said that towards tackling the problem, her government had sanctioned Rs 103 crore for augmenting power generation. She said that a sum of Rs 2,000 crore was being spent for power generation in the hills. A part of the package is the construction of power sub stations at Kurseong and Kalimpong, she says. 

She said that with Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong facing acute water shortage, a Rs 155-crore water development project was being taken up by her government. She announced setting up of three Industrial Training Institutes at Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong. The chief minister said that her government and the GTA would take up with the Centre establishment of a central university in Darjeeling. She inaugurated a fair price medicine shop in Darjeeling. Stressing the neeed for development of tourism in a big way, she said the vacant land in the tea gardens in Darjeeling hill areas would be used for tourism development so that tourists can stay there which would generate income for for the local people. The chief minister also laid the foundation for a fire service station, polytechnic college at Mirik, a polytechnic college at Kalimpong, ITI for Kalimpong, Mongpu and Gorubathan. The foundation stone was also laid for a new government college at Pedong. She said that traffic in Darjeeling town is congested and the state government will help improve the traffic system, if there was a proposal in this regard from the GTA.

Darjeeling: Ahead of her meeting with the GTA, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said her government and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will have to maintain friendly ties as it was necessary for the development of Darjeeling Hills. "We (Bengal govt and GJM) have to maintain friendly ties as we will have to work together for the development of the hills," Banerjee said on reaching Bagdogra airport here this afternoon on way to Darjeeling on a three-day visit. When asked further on the ties with GJM which had deteriorated earlier this year, she said, "We will hold discussions ... The people will see it for themselves." "The GTA office bearers are here to receive me ... So you can understand the relation," Banerjee said, adding that she had visited North Bengal 20 times since assuming chief ministership two years ago out of which she had visited Darjeeling 13 times, including her current visit. Banerjee is scheduled to meet GJM leaders and hold talks with the Gorkha Territorial Administration during her stay in the hills, official sources said. 

She will also attend several government functions to announce development schemes for the region, the sources said. Asked about her reaction to the Calcutta High Court order on panchayat polls, she expressed her happiness over it. "The government had wanted to hold the panchayat polls in winter to avoid the summer heat. But we are happy that the problem has been resolved, and we will now have to work to complete the election process by July 15," she said. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court today rejected the State Election Commission order for 800 companies of central forces to overlook the panchayat poll, and directed that the election be held in three phases and the process be completed by July 15. The court also directed that the poll date be notified by the state government in consultation with the State Election Commission.

KOLKATA : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will embark on a three-day visit to Darjeeling Hills beginning May 14 during which she will meet the GJM leaders as well as hold talks with the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA). "The chief minister will leave for Darjeeling May 14. She will have a meeting with the GTA officials and attend several government functions to announce development schemes for the region. She will also meet GJM leaders before returning May 17," said North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb. Banerjee's meeting the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership is crucial especially after the relation between the two nosedived earlier in the year. 

The GJM had earlier in the year accused Banerjee of infringing on the rights of the newly formed hill development body, and announced the renewal of its demand for the separate state Gorkhaland to be carved out of parts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of northern West Bengal. Following a clash with the rival Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) activists, the GJM had May 5 called for an indefinite strike in the region but later withdrew it. "We are looking forward towards Banerjee's visit and will meet jher to put forth our demands," said GJM general secretary Roshan Giri. Earlier this month the GJM had demanded Rs.575 crore from the central and state governments for creating infrastructure for the GTA. 

A tripartite agreement was signed between the GJM and the state and central governments July 18, 2012, for setting up a new autonomous, elected GTA. It sought more powers than its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which was formed in the late 1980s. The GJM swept its maiden territorial elections in July 2012.

Darjeeling: A decision on allotment of additional funds to the Gorkha Territorial Administration in the Darjeeling hills is expected to be taken up at a review meeting here on May 24. "A joint secretary of the Union home ministry is expected to represent the Centre and the state will be represented by Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee," Gorkha Janmukti Morcha General Secretary Roshan Giri said today. The review meeting is important as the Morcha has demanded Rs 575 crore from both the state government and the Centre as one-time grant for administrative infrastructure of the GTA, the hill council which runs the administration in the hills. The demand for the funds for infrastructure was earlier placed at a meeting between a Morcha delegation and Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra in Kolkata on April 30. 

Mitra had then suggested that the matter could be taken up at the review meeting as the Centre, too, had to share the cost of setting up infrastructure like buildings and quarters. "Apart from the grant of Rs 575 crore, we are also looking towards getting some concrete assurances on increasing the financial grant of the GTA from Rs 200 crore per annum to Rs 400 crore for the next three years," Giri said. The Morcha will also demand that the fact verification committee, which was formed to look into the recommendations made by Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen High Powered Committee, be asked to make a field visit to the Dooars and Terai. Justice Sen had recommended the inclusion of only five of the 397 mouzas demanded by the GJM in the GTA. Giri said the Morcha would also demand that all Gorkha communities, except Schedule Castes, be granted Schedule Tribe status. The Morcha also hoped it would get a positive feedback on amending the Constitution to implement a three-tier panchayat system in the hills. The state had earlier said it had written to the Centre to start the process for the constitutional amendment.

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will address a mass gathering of Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) in Darjeeling on 15 May.Kalimpong MLA and member of GJMM, Mr Harka Bahadur Chettri, met Miss Banerjee at Writers’ Buildings on 7 may. Gorkha leaders and the state government had parted ways following a similar meeting in January. The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland had been taken up by the Gorkha leaders at the meeting and the chief minister had ruled it out. Mr Chettri said: “We want to forget everything that happened in the last meeting. Whatever problems and misunderstandings we have had in the past have been resolved now.” GJMM will work hand-in-hand with the state government to undertake development of the Hills, he added. 

The MLA said the Centre has given only Rs 65 crore of the Rs 200 crore to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). “We will take up the issue jointly with the state government and raise our demands to the Centre,” he said, adding out of the Rs 65 crore that has been provided by the Centre for development of the Hills, roads have been repaired and parking zones have been set up. Mr Chettri said the chief minister has sought GTA and GJMM’s help in conducting a survey to identify 25 locations that can be developed as tourist destinations. The state government has already constructed three tourist lodges in Dalgaon, Bijonbari and Rinbik. “Development cannot happen unless we maintain a good rapport with the state government,” said Mr Chettri. Miss Banerjee, along with state chief secretary Mr Sanjay Mitra and home secretary Mr Basudeb Banerjee, will leave for Darjeeling on 14 May.

Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has demanded Rs.575 crore from the central and state governments for creating infrastructure for the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) in northern West Bengal's Darjeeling hills now run by the party. "As per the memorandum of agreement for the Gorkha Territorial Administration, funds for laying down the infrastructure for the GTA will be provided by the central government. "We need Rs.575 crore for creating the infrastructure. That includes the GTA secretariat complex, the building for holding the formal sitting of the elected representatives - the GTA Sabha, the residential quarters for the officers and other staff and the quarters for the elected members of the GTA," Roshan Giri, secretary general of GJM. The GTA had asked for the funds during a review meeting in New Delhi Dec 26 last year.

Besides GJM leaders, the additional secretary (home) of the central government and West Bengal home secretary Basudeb Banerjee were present at the meeting. "I have reiterated the demand at a meeting with chief secretary Sanjay Mitra in Kolkata . We will once again raise the issue at a tripartite meeting in Darjeeling mid-May," he said. A tripartite agreement was signed between the GJM and the state and central governments July 18, 2012, for setting up a new autonomous, elected GTA. It sought more powers than its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which was formed in the late 1980s.The GJM swept its maiden territorial elections in July 2012.

Darjeeling: Two leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and Akhil Bharatya Gorkha League along with their supporters on Sunday joined the Trinamool Congress which also held a public meeting at Darjeeling hills. Former ABGL leader Monoj Dewan and GJM trade union wing leader J B Tamang today joined Trinoomul Congress in presence of North Bengal Development Minister Goutam Deb. Tamang said he would continue to work for the development of the Hills and he was "not opposed to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration." Dewan said more workers of the ABGL would join the Trinamool Congress. In his address, Deb said, "We are very happy to have these new friends among us. We hope others will come to the Trinamool Congress fold soon." Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would come when a big meeting will be held here, he said. 

KOLKATA : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Sunday renewed its demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, calling for a series of strikes in Darjeeling district next month and advising tourists not to visit the Hills during the bandh days. At a rally in Kalimpong on Sunday, GJM president Bimal Gurung announced bandhs in two phases— on March 14 and 15 and again on March 21 and 22 — in the three subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. He also called for closure of all government offices from March 9 to 27. The Morcha leaders are planning to visit Delhi soon to meet the President and other central ministers to press for their demand for President's Rule in the Hills. 

Gurung said that the days of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) were numbered. "The way they are encroaching on the territory of the GTA, the CM is trying to create ethnic division in the Hills by forming a separate Lepcha Board, she is coming here and organising a North Bengal festival, she is distributing pattas, inaugurating a bridge without informing the GTA, all this is not acceptable to us. This cannot go on. We want President's rule and after that Gorkhaland will be here because that is our goal,'' Gurung said at the rally. He incidentally praised the CPM, saying they were better than the Trinamool Congress. "They at least had a principle, their leadership had quality," he said. The TMC appealed to the GJM to refrain from calling bandhs. "We appeal to the GJM to refrain from calling any strike and sit across the table," Gautam Deb, Minister for North Bengal Development, told The Indian Express. 

SP workers told to not use CM, Mulayam photos on letterheads Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has warned that action will be taken against members of the ruling Samajwadi Party who are found using his or party president Mulayam Singh Yadav's photographs on their letterheads and visiting cards. In a communication to district presidents and general secretaries, Akhilesh has asked them to communicate the message to party workers in upcoming meetings of district units and Assembly-level committees. "If any party worker was found using photographs of party national president or me it would be considered as an anti-party act and strict action would be taken," said Akhilesh, who is also the state SP president. Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said the SP had already issued guidelines regarding the use of the party flag. 

KOLKATA: A delegation of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) from Darjeeling met West Bengal governor M.K.Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan here on Friday to complain about Mamata Banerjee's government which was allegedly bypassing the Gorkha autonomous body while carrying out administrative work in the Hills. Harka Bahadur Chhetri, a GJM MLA and leader of the party told reporters after their meeting that the state government had been bypassing the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha while carrying out administrative work. "The GTA Sabha was elected on the basis of the tripartite agreement among the Union government, state government and GJM. It is now solely responsible for the overall development in Darjeeling Hills. But the state administration is bypassing it and carrying out its own administrative work. 

We feel that bilateral relation of the state government and GTA is sure to deteriorate once the state government continues to bypass our elected body," Chhetri reportedly told the governor during their meeting at Raj Bhavan on Friday afternoon. Relations between Mamata Banerjee's government at GJM in Darjeeling Hills has deteriorated significantly after chief minister's last visit in the Hills. Mamata Banerjee had taken strong exception to the act of a group of GJM activists who had displayed placards in front of her demanding a separate Gorkha state and shouted slogans in support of their demand. An angry chief minister had told the crowd in presence of the GJM president Bimal Gurung that she was holding a government function and the Gorkhas should not raise any political demand in such a function. She also said that "I am very rough and tough and I don't want you to raise such a political demand in a government function." Mamata's stand had certainly irked the GJM leadership including Gurung, who had later announced that they will launch fresh movement in the Hills from March in support of their demand for a separate state. 

Only on Wednesday, the minister for North Bengal development Goutam Deb had to face a difficult situation when an angry mob of GJM supporters gheraoed his car near Kalimpong and shouted slogan against him, asking him not to visit the Hills again. Naturally, the state government is not in a very comfortable position now as far as Darjeeling situation is concerned and Friday's meeting between the governor and GJM delegation was very crucial considering the current situation in the Hills. The governor had summoned West Bengal industry minister Partha Chatterjee and the state's home secretary at Raj Bhavan immediately after his meeting with the GJM delegation and discussed with the minister about the current law and order situation in Darjeeling. 

KOLKATA: After Tuesday's revolt by the Gorkhas at the chief minister Mamata Banerjee's function in Darjeeling, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership has threatened to go for a militant movement in the Hills to realise their demand for a separate state. "This time our movement might not be democratic one. We may be forced to go for a violent agitation in Darjeeling and both the Centre and the state government will have to bear responsibilities for any untoward incidents. We will hold a rally at Sukna on March 10 from where our leader Bimal Gurung will announce next course of action," GJM leader Benoy Tamang told ET on Wednesday. 

The GJM leadership has taken a strong exception to the chief minister Mamata Banerjee's act of meeting some Lepcha representatives at Algora in Darjeeling on Wednesday. Mamata has assured the Lepchas that her government will set up an autonomous council for the developments of this Hill people. "The chief minister is trying to draw a line of division among the Hill people and we will not allow her to do this," Tamang said. In fact, the GJM has started boycotting the chief minister's function in Darjeeling. On Wednesday, GJM president Bimal Gurung has inaugurated a bridge on the river Rangeela at Bijanbari in the Darjeeling Hills in absence of the chief minister. Earlier it was announced that the chief minister will inaugurate the new bridge.

But Mamata Banerjee has skipped the inaugural function and in her place, GJM chief Gurung has inaugurated the new bridge. Wednesday's development at Bijanbari clearly indicates the fact that both the GJM and Mamata Banerjee's government are going to confront each other in the days ahead. Trinamool Congress sources said on Wednesday that the chief minister was very much displeased with the GJM leadership not because of displaying of placards by some of their supporters during her meeting at Darjeeling on Tuesday, but because of GJM chief Bimal Gurung's statements after her meeting was over. Gurung had opposed Mamata's observations that Darjeeling was an integral part of West Bengal and "by describing Darjeeling as a part of Bengal, the chief minister had in fact, hurt the sentiment of the Hill people." 

Gurung had also criticised the chief minister for many other reasons and Trinamool Congress sources on Wednesday made it clear that Mamata had not taken easily Gurung's comments and will never accept GJM's demand for a separate state. "Didi has practically refused to attend the inaugural function at Bijanbari on Wednesday which was attended by Bimal Gurung, after yesterday's developments in Darjeeling," said a senior minister and Trinamool Congress leader, on condition of anonymity. It is learnt that the chief minister will review the situations in Darjeeling Hills after her return to Kolkata and is likely to ask the state administration to handle law and order situation in the Hills firmly.